The 18th stage of the Giro d’Italia ended on Thursday with a win for Colombian Julian Arredondo while fellow Colombians Nairo Quintana and Rigoberto Uran remain first and second respectively in the overall classification, according to the Giro’s official website.
The Giro d’Italia continues as Colombian cyclist Julian Arredondo wins the 18th stage, a mountain stage, retaining his position as leader of the mountains classification. Second-place in the 18th stage went to another Colombian, Fabio Duarte. Overall leader and Colombian Nairo Quintana received 10th place in the stage.
Colombian success at 2014 Giro d’Italia
Arredondo, from the town of Ciudad Bolivar in the central Colombian state of Antioquia, sits on top of the mountains classification while five Colombians make up the top seven of the classification. The Colombians in the top seven of the mountains classification are Julian Arredondo (1st), Robinson Chalapud (4th), Nairo Quintana (5th), Jarlinson Pantano (6th) and Fabio Duarte (7th). The mountain stages of cycling competitions have traditionally been strong stages for Colombian riders.
The overall classification counts with Colombians Nairo Quintana in first, and Rigoberto Uran in second — 1 minute and 41 seconds behind.
The young riders classification finds Nairo Quintana in first and Sebastian Henao in fifth.
MORE: Colombia’s Nairo Quintana replaces compatriot Rigoberto Uran as leader of Giro d’Italia
Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Uran comment on Colombian success
Rigoberto Uran celebrated the “big day” for Colombia on Twitter.
Otro gran día para Colombia en el #giro así es vamos súper bien… Gracias amigos por todos esos mensajes que recibo cada día!!!
— Rigoberto Urán (@UranRigoberto) May 29, 2014
In an interview with Colombian daily El Espectador, Quintana was quoted as saying, “As we can see on the podium, this is a Giro d’Italia made for Colombia, Arredondo’s victory, in addition to his leadership in the mountains classification which identifies Colombians, makes me very happy.” Quintana went on to say that he celebrates Colombian victories as if they were his own.
Nairo Quintana, from the town of Combita in the central Colombian state of Boyaca, gained worldwide fame for winning the young riders classification and the mountains classification in the 2013 Tour de France.
MORE: Nairo Quintana’s rise from poor peasant’s son to Colombia’s cycling hero
The 18th stage of the race is a mountain stage between the towns of Belluno and Val Sugana in northern Italy. The Giro d’Italia, began with three stages in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Dublin in Ireland between May 9 and 11.
The race is set to conclude after the 21st stage in Trieste, Italy on June 1.
Sources
- Giro d’Italia 2014 (Giro d’Italia Official Website)
- Nairo Quintana: este Giro de Italia fue hecho para Colombia (El Espectador)